


Things Haru Said

by chibistarlyte



Category: Free!
Genre: Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Drunken Confessions, Drunkenness, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Marriage Proposal, POV Third Person Limited, Tokyo (City), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 01:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16985550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibistarlyte/pseuds/chibistarlyte
Summary: A relationship told in moments, centered around things that Haru said.Based on the "things you said" prompt list on tumblr.





	Things Haru Said

**Author's Note:**

> I worked on this during NaNo last month. It was supposed to be just a quick drabble to help me through writer's block, but then it turned out to be over nine thousand words of tooth-rotting domestic fluff. What am I even doing.
> 
> This has not been beta'd, but I've gone over it enough times that I feel like my eyeballs are gonna fall out of my head. If you catch any typos or errors, please feel free to point them out to me! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_things haru said at 1:00am_

 

“Ne, Haru?” came Makoto’s quiet voice in the relative darkness of the apartment, barely heard over the constant background noise that was Tokyo. Even in the hours when it was so late, it was early.

Barely conscious as it was, Haru could only hum in response. He was turned away from Makoto, lying on his side, but the bed was small enough that they were practically touching anyway.

The noncommittal hum was enough of an answer to prompt Makoto to continue. “Are you scared?”

Blue eyes slid open halfway at the vague question. Funny of Makoto to ask him that, seeing as it was Makoto who had invited Haru to stay over that night for fear of being alone.

It was their first night in the big city. Their first night away from home. The first night of the rest of their lives.

“Why would I be scared?” Haru muttered as he curled further in on himself, pressing the side of his face harder into the pillow. “I have you here with me, don’t I?”

Makoto let out a breathy laugh that made Haru’s cheeks uncomfortably warm. “I’m glad to be here with you, Haru-chan.”

Haru let out a huff, too sleepy to argue with Makoto about that damn honorific he kept attaching to his name. “Go to sleep, Makoto.”

* * *

 

_things haru said through his teeth_

 

Haru hissed through gritted teeth, pain throbbing in his injured knee. Blood slowly oozed from the open scrape, a few droplets crawling down his pale leg.

As graceful as Haru was in the water, he wasn’t so much on land.

He and Makoto were running for the train, afraid they were going to miss it, when Haru’s foot caught the curb and sent him plummeting to the ground. His knee hit the concrete, hard, and Makoto helped him to his feet before he could think too much about the pain and they just kept running.

They caught the train in time, but at the expense of Haru’s now bloodied knee.

He hissed again as Makoto pressed an antiseptic-soaked cotton pad against the wound, trying to both disinfect it and clean out the loose bits of gravel before it completely closed up. Makoto offered him an apologetic smile for causing him any kind of pain, but stayed quiet as he cared for his friend.

Once Haru’s wound was all clean and bandaged up, Makoto placed a small kiss atop the medical tape holding the gauze in place.

Haru’s heart stopped and his jaw clenched tighter.

“All better, Haru-chan,” Makoto said sweetly, obviously unaware of the effect he had on his best friend right then.

“Thanks, Makoto,” the dark haired swimmer said, jaw still clenched as he slowly stood and put weight on his injured knee. Gingerly, he limped to the small kitchen to make them some tea. Makoto followed him, but gave him some space as he prepared the kettle. The couple steps he took to set the kettle on the stove made him grimace, and he muttered through his teeth, “Sorry for causing you trouble.”

Makoto just smiled like before, leaning against the counter with his arms casually crossed over his broad chest. “You never cause me trouble, Haru-chan.”

Haru just ducked his head to hide his blush.

* * *

  _things haru said that made makoto feel like shit_

 

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Haru said after ten minutes of walking in silence, the darkness of night settling around them.

Makoto spared him a glance before looking almost guiltily at the sidewalk.

The raven-haired swimmer expectantly watched his best friend when he didn’t get an instant response.

When he finally started talking, Makoto still wouldn’t look at Haru. “I wanted to,” was all he said, and for some reason, it made Haru _angry_. It infuriated him that Makoto always had to be the martyr, always had to sacrifice himself for the sake of another before every worrying about himself for once.

Mostly, he would sacrifice himself for Haru’s sake.

But Haru was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He would have been able to take Hiyori’s challenge easily.

“You don’t have to protect me all the time.” Haru’s voice came out much colder than he wanted it to. He felt a slight pang of guilt in his gut, but it’d already been said. He couldn’t take it back now.

Makoto stopped walking. He still stared at the ground.

Haru, a few paces ahead, stopped as well and turned on his heel to regard his best friend.

“I _want_ to, Haru,” Makoto said, finally leveling his gaze at Haru. There was no hint of a smile on his face, just a quiet and almost hesitant determination that reminded Haru of the night of their first fight, when Makoto announced to him that he was attending university in Tokyo and leaving him behind.

Haru scoffed. “Worry about yourself for once, idiot.” He turned away and intended to just leave Makoto there if he was going to sulk. Yet, for some reason, his feet were glued to the ground and he couldn’t force himself to walk.

There was still no answer from his best friend, but Makoto took a few steps forward and they began walking together once again in contemplative silence all the way back to Makoto’s apartment.

* * *

  _things haru didn’t say at all_

 

There were a lot of things Haru never said to Makoto.

Mostly because for the duration of their lifelong friendship, words were largely unneeded for their communication. Haru figured Makoto knew him well enough that the majority of the things he would say to him went understood between them without the necessity of speech.

Apparently, he was wrong about that.

He was more than surprised when Rin and Makoto showed up to his training camp, where he’d been under rigorous training from his new coach, the enigmatic and sometimes frustrating Azuma Ryuuji. He’d been so unwaveringly focused on improving his technique, decreasing his times, breaking down whatever wall decided to build itself in front of him that it was a relief to see his two best friends and take a breather from swimming.

“Makoto was really worried about you, y’know,” Rin said after a lengthy silence, the two of them just standing outside and watching the sunset.

Haru didn’t answer, just turned to look at the redhead with a tilted head and a slightly raised brow.

“He tried to contact you over the last two weeks,” Rin continued, adjusting his ball cap so that the rim would block out the blinding sunlight. “When you didn’t respond, he was scared that you’d fallen into a slump again.”

Haru looked down at his shoes, feeling a little guilty. Everyone knew he was absolutely terrible at keeping track of his phone, at keeping in contact with the outside world. He’d _always_ been unreliable with communication. Sometimes he wondered why Makoto kept trying to reach him as diligently as he did, probably knowing he wouldn’t get an answer anyway. He wondered why Makoto always worried about him.

But, considering what happened the last time Haru took an emotional nose dive, Makoto had every right to be worried.

“I…” he started, but clamped his mouth shut again. What could he say?

Rin shook his head. “Maybe don’t suck at answering your damn phone once in a while,” he said, though there was no malice behind his words. He flashed his sharp teeth in a brief playful grin. “And actually make an effort to communicate with your friends.”

Haru knew Rin meant more than just Makoto, but honestly, all he could think about was how he’d let Makoto down by unintentionally ignoring him.

He mentally apologized to his best friend and promised himself to do better.

* * *

  _things haru said over the phone_

 

“Haru?” said the concerned voice of Makoto as he picked up the phone. “Is everything alright?”

Haru’s grip on his phone tightened. Was it nervousness he was feeling, that was turning his stomach upside down? Why would he be nervous? It was only Makoto. “Of course. Why wouldn’t everything be alright?”

“Well, I mean…” A slightly shaky laugh echoed through the speaker, and Haru imagined Makoto lightly scratching his cheek with his index finger. “It’s just, you never really call unless it’s important.”

_It’s important because it’s you_ , Haru almost said, but swallowed the words down before they made it to the tip of his tongue. He was trying to follow Rin’s advice and actually make an effort to communicate. And judging from Makoto’s reaction, it wasn’t going all that well so far.

Without further preamble, Haru said, “Are you free right now? I was hoping we could get dinner.”

The swimmer didn’t know if he was imagining it, or if he just knew Makoto _that_ well, but he felt his best friend’s smile through the phone, heard it in his voice, saw it in his mind’s eye and it made his breath hitch.

“Sure. Where do you wanna go?”

* * *

 

  _things haru said under the stars_

 

In the end, they ended up staying in at Haru’s apartment, where he cooked them both a simple meal of miso mackerel.

After dinner, Makoto wandered out onto the balcony to get some air. Haru joined him without question, and they stood in companionable silence for a short while before Makoto spoke up.

“I wish we could see the stars better here,” Makoto said wistfully, hands resting on the railing of the balcony, staring up at the darkened night sky polluted with city lights. “Like back home.”

Haru gazed upward himself, squinting as if he could try and see at least a pinprick of a star through the haze.

“At least we know they’re still there,” Haru said, tightening his grip on the metal rail. “Even if we can’t see them, they’ll always be there.”

There was a weight to Haru’s words just then. He could feel it in his chest, the way it settled into his ribcage, how it bloomed into a sweet heat and spread through his capillaries with every beat of his heart.

His blue eyes abandoned the sky and looked to Makoto.

Makoto met his stare with one of his smiles, the one that could illuminate a room brighter than the sun’s rays streaming through an open window. He stepped a little closer to Haru then, their shoulders just barely touching.

Some minutes later, as another comfortable silence descended upon them, Haru’s hand found Makoto’s and squeezed it tight.

* * *

  _things haru said when he was crying_

 

It’d been a little while since Haru last cried.

Funnily enough, the last time was also because of Makoto. Back in Iwatobi, when Haru was frightened of Makoto leaving him behind.

But this time was vastly different than the last, although perhaps the same at the very core of it.

Haru was half lying on Makoto’s hospital bed, half seated in his chair, holding one of the brunet’s giant hands in both of his. The steady beeping of the machine taking Makoto’s vitals kept his panic at bay, reminded him that his best friend was, in fact, still alive and breathing.

When Makoto had collapsed, though, Haru was terrified.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as the memory of just a few hours ago flooded into his mind. He’d noticed Makoto looked a little worse for wear that morning when they’d both woken up to get to class. But of course Makoto kept insisting that he was fine, just lacking a little sleep. He wore his glasses to hide the bags under his eyes and made some extra strong coffee for himself before they left Haru’s apartment for the train station.

One minute, everything was fine. The next, Makoto hit the ground and took Haru's stomach with him.

When Haru got Makoto to the emergency room, there were already tear tracks down his face. He could barely get the words out to the nurses what had happened and before he knew it, they were taking Makoto away from him and that alone started a new round of tears.

A short time later, one of the nurses came back to the waiting room to find him with his head in his hands and his breathing shallow and shuddering. When she informed him Makoto was only suffering from exhaustion and dehydration and would be free to go as soon as his IV was finished, he had to blink away even _more_ tears.

At least those ones were tears of relief.

“He's asleep at the moment,” she told him, “but you can go stay with him, if you want.”

Haru had never been so grateful to a stranger before.

So here he was, holding onto Makoto’s hand for dear life and willing him to just wake up already so he could rip him a new one for scaring him like that.

Was this how Makoto felt when Haru had fallen into the river and almost drowned? When Haru passed out on the sidewalk after eating nothing but mackerel for an entire week?

Was this how it felt for Makoto _every_ time he worried over Haru?

A quiet groan jerked him from his thoughts and his head shot up, blue eyes searching his best friend's face for any sign of wakefulness. A moment later, green eyes opened and looked blearily at Haru.

“...What happened?” Makoto asked, squinting as he looked around the hospital room.

Black eyebrows creased as Haru glared at Makoto, though it didn't look very threatening accompanied with a pout. “You fainted.”

“What…?” Makoto’s voice cracked and he winced a little as he tried to sit up. He realized belatedly that Haru had a vice grip on his hand, and looked to his best friend in confusion. “Haru?”

Without warning, Haru practically leapt out of his chair and threw himself on top of Makoto, very nearly pulling out the IV that administered fluids to the dehydrated boy.

They both exhaled at the same time, and their worries vanished together into the air.

“Don't you _ever_ do that again,” Haru finally said, his voice wavering with unshed tears. He clung to Makoto with the intention of never letting go. He could feel Makoto smile against his neck, felt his eyelashes tickle his jaw as his eyes fluttered shut.

“I won't, Haru-chan,” Makoto promised.

* * *

  _things haru said too quietly_

 

Sometimes Haru couldn’t help but stare at Makoto.

They’d be going through their normal routine, like studying together in Haru’s apartment, or walking to their favorite ramen place between their two universities, or standing in companionable silence as the train clattered down the tracks, and Haru would catch himself staring.

Makoto usually didn’t notice–or, when he did, he would just flash one of his trademark genuine smiles that left Haru a melted puddle on the ground.

This time, they were walking the last few blocks to Makoto’s apartment and Makoto was chattering on about nothing important, as was usual for him. Haru was only half-listening, as was usual for him–in his defense, they _were_ on their way back from a swim meet and after competing all day, he was tired. Definitely ready for a bath and bed right after.

But even though he was mostly tuning Makoto’s words out, he couldn’t take his eyes off Makoto’s face. His best friend wore a peaceful, relaxed expression. The corners of his mouth were upturned slightly into a smile that was essentially his neutral expression. His eyes were crinkled in the corners, another default feature on Makoto’s face that would probably lead to prominent crow’s feet when they got older.

Haru watched the way Makoto’s lips moved, accommodating every syllable that came out of his mouth. He watched the way Makoto’s eyes seemed to glow almost a neon green, reflecting all the bright lights of the city around them. He watched the way loose strands of Makoto’s olive brown hair fell in front of his eyes and swished back and forth as they walked.

Makoto was absolutely _stunning_.

It was all too much for him right now, and Haru was hit with a sudden urge that came up his throat like a tidal wave that was impossible to force down.

“I love you,” he mouthed, interrupting Makoto’s one-sided conversation about lord-knows-what at this point.

Makoto’s chatter paused, and for the first time in quite some minutes, his unbelievably green eyes locked directly onto Haru. “Hm? What did you say, Haru?” he asked, tilting his head in inquiry.

Fighting down the blush that was sure to be flooding his cheeks at that moment, Haru shook his head. “It’s nothing,” he said and watched as his shoes came in contact with the sidewalk as they continued walking.

He could practically feel Makoto’s sweet smile emanating from next to him. “Alright, if you’re sure,” his best friend said easily, allowing Haru to keep his secret for the time being.

* * *

  _things haru said when he was drunk_

 

Haru sat on the floor at his dining table, lips pursed, throat burning, and eyes glassy.

“More shots! More shots!” Nagisa cheered, louder than ever now that the alcohol had killed whatever few inhibitions he had to begin with.

Rei looked like he was about to argue with the blond, but was interrupted by Asahi shoving a shot glass full of a clear blue liquid in his face.

“Drink up, Ryuugazaki!” said the rambunctious redhead before downing his own shot. Haru narrowed his eyes at his friends’ antics.

Whose idea was it again to throw Haru a surprise birthday party? Better yet, whose idea was it to fill his entire counter with bottles of booze that he’d most likely never finish on his own?

It was a miracle he’d even taken all the drinks his friends offered him, seeing how he rarely drank, if ever. Even when he and his teammates went out to celebrate after their swim meets and both Asahi and Mikoshiba kept trying to force congratulatory beers on him, he usually just stuck to water.

Rei dropped next to him with a thump. His younger friend had a flush to his face, but otherwise seemed mostly normal. Leave it to Rei to be the semi-responsible one. “Is everything okay, Haruka-senpai?”

Haru turned his glassy gaze to Rei, blinked a couple times, then nodded. “I’m drunk,” he said in a voice that suggested he had a hard time believing the words that came out of his mouth.

“Everyone’s drunk,” Rei said with a chuckle. “Even Ikuya-san seems tipsy.”

“To Haru-chan!” a wasted Nagisa slurred out, interrupting their short conversation.

There were clinking glasses and yells of, “ _Kanpai!_ ” as Nagisa, Asahi, Ikuya, and Hiyori all toasted and downed their shots together.

Haru, against his better judgment, took the shot sitting right in front of him. It burned on the way down and had him spluttering. Rei followed suit, swallowing the shot Asahi had shoved in his face.

“Where’s Mako-chan?!” Nagisa yelled suddenly, and for a moment, Haru worried about what his neighbors must be thinking about all the noise. “He hasn’t had his shot yet!”

“I’ll go find him,” Haru volunteered, standing up a little too fast and swaying on his feet. Rei offered up his hand to help stabilize him, which Haru took gratefully for a second until his vision stopped swimming.

There weren’t many places Makoto could be, considering how small Haru’s apartment was. Not in the living room, not in the kitchen, not out on the balcony, which he could see from his current vantage point. Haru checked the bathroom, which was empty. He then poked his head into his bedroom, finding a lump on the bed.

“Makoto?”

The lump moved.

“Oh, Haru,” Makoto said, sounding groggy.

Haru closed the door behind himself and stepped over to the bed, making sure to feel around for Makoto so he wouldn’t accidentally sit on him. “Nagisa wants you to do shots,” he managed to say, trying his utmost to remain upright.

A long groan vibrated the blanket beneath Haru’s hand. “No...no more shots…”

Gripping the blanket and pulling it back, Haru crawled right into bed in front of Makoto. He scooted as close to his friend as he could so that he wouldn’t go toppling off the edge of the mattress. He felt Makoto’s warm breath against his already heated cheeks.

“Do you feel sick?” Haru whispered, moving his head just slightly so that their noses were touching.

“Mmmn...not sick.” Makoto paused and reached out for Haru’s hand. “...Just drunk.”

Their fingers intertwined without any conscious thought from either of them. Haru’s head was spinning, but not entirely in a bad way. The alcohol didn't help, surely, but being this close to Makoto made his heart go all fluttery and he felt drunk in a completely different manner than before.

Love drunk, maybe. Not that he would ever admit it aloud.

But he wanted to. He really, really wanted to.

“Makoto…” he said, tongue thick and heavy in his mouth. “You…I…”

Why weren't the words coming?

“MAKO-CHAN! HARU-CHAN!” their little blond friend yelled from the other room, voice clear as crystal even through the closed door. “STOP BEING PARTY POOPERS AND GET OUT HERE!”

“Nagisa-kun, maybe they don't feel well…” Rei pointed out, ever the voice of reason, much quieter than Nagisa.

Makoto shook with silent laughter, and Haru felt every bit of it.

“I love you, Makoto.”

Makoto froze.

Haru swallowed the lump in his throat. Well. There was no going back now.

“ _I love you_ ,” Haru said again, more forcefully this time.

Haru’s heart sank when Makoto let out an uneasy laugh.

“You're drunk, Haru-chan.”

“So are you,” Haru retorted, pouting, feeling actually sick for the first time all evening.

Makoto didn't believe him.

“I mean it,” he murmured. Then, quieter, “I mean what I said.”

Makoto was quiet for a long time. So long, Haru was scared he fell asleep. But finally, Makoto shifted and pulled Haru fully into his arms. He tangled his long legs between Haru’s, rested his chin atop Haru’s mop of dark hair and breathed in Haru’s scent.

“If you mean it,” Makoto spoke into Haru’s hair, “if you _really_ mean it...tell me again in the morning.” A beat, a held breath. “Because I...I love you, Haru. But I can’t say it until I _know_ you mean it.”

Haru nodded, delivering a feather-light kiss to Makoto’s exposed collarbone. “Okay.”

* * *

  _things haru said at the kitchen table_

 

The next morning found Haru and Makoto eating a bland breakfast of mackerel and rice and sipping tea to nurse their hangovers. Haru had kicked their other friends out a little earlier, after letting them stay the night at his apartment since they’d been drunk as all get-out and it would have been unsafe, not to mention a dick move, to let them leave last night. And today, Rei and Nagisa had a long train ride back to Iwatobi to at least sleep their hangovers off.

Neither he nor Makoto had said a word to each other all morning, and now with only each other as company, the silence remained.

Though last night was fuzzy around the edges, Haru remembered his confession clear as day. He sipped at his hot tea, watching Makoto carefully over the rim of his mug. Makoto, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding looking at Haru altogether, wholly focused on his breakfast.

Haru set his mug down, watching the ripples on the surface of his tea, and took a deep breath.

“I still mean it.”

His blue eyes slid up to look at Makoto again, who had stilled with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

Slowly, Makoto lowered the utensils and let his piece of mackerel drop back onto its bed of rice in the bowl. He leveled a gaze at Haru, a careful mask in place.

Haru inhaled and held his breath.

“You mean it.”

Haru gave a curt nod. “I love you, Makoto,” he repeated for the third time in the last twelve hours.

A beautiful smile of relief broke out on Makoto’s face, and a blush crept onto his cheeks. “I’m so glad,” he breathed out.

Haru flung himself at Makoto, knocking them both to the floor. The sound of Makoto’s laughter was enough to make him feel like he was floating on air, and when he finally dared to kiss his best friend for the first time, he knew he wanted to taste that laughter forever.

* * *

  _things haru said with too many miles between them_

 

As soon as Haru checked into his hotel and lugged his stuff upstairs to his room, he pulled his laptop out of his carry-on and set up at the small desk next to his bed. He changed from his plane clothes into sweats and a hoodie he borrowed from Makoto while he waited for the computer to boot.

Haru buried his face into the neck of the hoodie and inhaled deeply through his nose. It smelled like Makoto.

He signed into Skype and saw that Makoto was online, as promised. He clicked the call button and waited for his boyfriend to pick up.

_Boyfriend_. It had such a nice ring to it. Haru was still getting used to the concept.

Haru couldn’t help the small smile that curled onto his lips when Makoto’s face popped up in the chat window.

“Hi, Haru. Did you have a good flight?”

“I miss you,” Haru said to the slightly grainy video of Makoto on his laptop screen, totally ignoring the question. Man, the wi-fi at this hotel sucked.

Even through his computer speakers, the sound of Makoto’s laugh was like soothing music to his ears. “You haven’t even been gone a day yet, Haru-chan,” his boyfriend said with a slight head tilt, his green eyes glowing with a teasing kind of light. “But I miss you, too.”

Haru drew a knee up to his chest and planted his chin on top, wrapping his arms around his leg to hold it in place. His toes curled over the edge of the seat. “I wish you could have come with me,” he said with a pout. He knew Makoto had school and his part time coaching job to worry about, and couldn’t break away from either to come on this trip. Still, there was a part of him that selfishly wanted his boyfriend to be there with him.

Haru never figured himself to be the clingy type, but, well, stranger things have happened, he supposed. Besides, it wasn't like Makoto was especially opposed to being clung to.

“I’ll try to next time,” Makoto promised, and Haru believed him wholeheartedly. “But I’ll be cheering for you regardless, Haru-chan.”

Haru’s smile turned warmer, matching the one on Makoto’s lips he so badly wanted to kiss in that moment. “I know you will.”

It was going to be a long two days.

* * *

 

  _things haru said after he kissed makoto_

 

Haru had told Makoto he didn't have to pick him up from the airport, that he'd be able to get home fine on his own and he didn't want to trouble his boyfriend.

Makoto wasn't a very good listener sometimes.

As soon as Haru saw a mop of light brown hair that towered over almost everyone in the crowd, he was so caught by excitement that he forgot to be annoyed about Makoto’s blatant disregard for what Haru had told him before he boarded the plane home.

He weaved through numerous people, keeping his duffel clutched close and gluing his messenger bag to his side. When he finally reached his boyfriend, he couldn't stop himself from plowing right into Makoto with a hug and cutting off any greeting or utterance of his own name with a demanding kiss.

When they broke apart, he felt Makoto’s breathless laughter caress his face. “Hello to you, too,” the taller boy said with a smile that brightened his entire face.

Remembering that he was supposed to be mildly annoyed, Haru stuck his tingling lips out in a pout. “I told you you didn't have to come pick me up.” He tried to sound put-out, he really did, but Makoto unfortunately knew him well enough that he saw right through that facade near instantaneously.

“I _wanted_ to, Haru,” Makoto said with a small tilt of his head. Haru had heard this reasoning before from Makoto, and yet it still caught him off guard every time.

Before he could protest, Makoto took Haru’s duffel and held it over his shoulder, using his free arm to pull Haru close to his side. “Now, tell me all about your races.”

They navigated through the airport terminal, Haru glued to Makoto’s side and quietly regaling him with all the thrilling details of his tournament wins.

* * *

  _things haru said with no space between them_

 

“I’ve been thinking,” Haru muttered into Makoto’s clavicle, his cool fingers tracing odd shapes up and down his boyfriend’s toned abs.

He felt more than heard Makoto’s light chuckle, the sound reverberating from chest to chest. “Thinking about what?” he asked into Haru’s fringe, moving his head slightly to place a light kiss to his forehead.

“Us,” was the cryptic answer Haru offered. Even though he and Makoto were as close to each other as they could possibly get, skin touching skin, legs tangled and arms clutching and heads slotting together like pieces of a puzzle, he scooted infinitesimally closer and clung to Makoto like the koala on the postcard Rin sent him last month.

Another laugh ruffled the dark strands of Haru’s hair. “What about us?”

“Well…” Haru tucked his head further beneath Makoto’s chin, to where if he moved just a millimeter, he could deliver as many love bites to Makoto’s neck and collarbone as he wanted. “You’re always over here at mine, and when you’re not, I’m always at yours, so…”

Makoto’s arms tightened around him. Haru felt his boyfriend’s heartbeat speed up, pounding against his bare chest.

Haru took a deep breath. “Why don’t we move in together?”

The instant the words left his mouth, Makoto’s fevered, repeated whispers of, “yes,” were there to take their place.

* * *

  _things haru said when they were the happiest they ever were_

 

Haru figured that when they paid a visit to Shigino Katsumi to turn in the keys to Makoto’s apartment and sign him onto the lease to Haru’s, he would never be any happier.

He was wrong.

True happiness, the greatest happiness he had known in his twenty years, came a little later when Makoto came home from school the day after he officially moved in with Haru.

“ _Tadaima_ ,” Makoto called out as he came through the door..

Haru was in the kitchen preparing some green curry for dinner, Makoto’s favorite, and hearing his boyfriend say that aloud filled him with a strange warm goo that encompassed his very being.

Home. Makoto was _home._

And home was with Haru.

“ _Okaeri_ ,” Haru called back as he stirred the contents of the skillet together before letting the meal simmer. His face was hot, and not from the heat of the stove.

If this was what the rest of his life would feel like, he couldn’t imagine ever being happier.

* * *

  _things haru said when he thought makoto was asleep_

 

Since he was young, Haru had always been an early riser. The mornings were always peaceful, quiet, a time when he could just exist without having to answer to anyone else but the water.

That is, until his fingers grew pruny and the bathwater turned cold.

Haru had just finished one of his morning baths and was toweling his hair dry when he stepped into the bedroom to change into proper clothes for the day, with only his jammers on as per usual.

Makoto, always the later riser of the both of them, was still asleep, a long lump on the bed wrapped up in the blankets like a caterpillar in its cocoon. His light snoring filled the quiet room.

It was hard to breathe when Haru’s heart was so full of love for the man asleep in his bed– _their_ bed, he reminded himself. The reminder brought a small smile to his generally impassive face. He’d been doing that a lot more often. Smiling. Smiling because of Makoto.

Smiling _for_ Makoto.

Dressed in one of Makoto’s tee shirts and a pair of sweatpants, Haru stepped over to their bed, sat down near the edge, and carded his fingers through the tuft of olive brown hair sticking out from beneath the covers.

“My cute Makoto,” he said as he leaned over and laid a kiss on the crown of Makoto’s head.

Haru then left the room to go make breakfast, unaware of the small smile that appeared on Makoto’s face.

* * *

  _things haru said he wished he hadn’t_

 

Hindsight was twenty-twenty, they said, only after experience had taught its lesson.

Haru facepalmed. To think it all started with an off-handed comment on how good Makoto looked in his red plaid shirt.

Since then, more and more red plaid shirts started taking up room in their dresser drawers to the point where it was becoming increasingly difficult for Haru to fit his own clothes in.

Not to mention that every time he saw Makoto in said shirts, Haru wanted to jump him and kiss him all over with absolutely no thought to the time and place. Especially when Makoto rolled the sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his toned forearms. Even more so especially when Makoto left the top couple buttons undone and folded the collar out, tantalizingly revealing his protruding collarbone.

Add in Makoto’s thick framed glasses and, well...Haru was done for.

It was a problem.

“You need to go through your clothes,” Haru suggested one day as he laid in bed and watched Makoto get dressed for the day. Haru didn’t have any classes that morning and swim practice wasn’t until later, so he was lounging before he himself had to get ready. “They’re taking up too much room.”

Makoto, clad in another one of those damn shirts, turned around to face his boyfriend. His large hands were working to button up the shirt. At least he had a black V-neck shirt on underneath, which made it a tad easier for Haru to resist slathering his boyfriend with kisses and leaving bite marks all over his chest. “Are they? I hadn’t noticed,” he admitted with a sheepish smile as he fixed the collar of his shirt.

Haru rolled his eyes. “At least get rid of the ones you don’t wear,” he said, flopping down on his back and staring at Makoto upside down. He probably shouldn’t have said that, either. With his luck, Makoto would get rid of almost every shirt that wasn’t red and plaid.

Makoto chuckled and leaned down to kiss Haru’s forehead. “To be fair, Haru-chan, the only ones I don’t wear are the ones _you_ decided to claim for yourself.” His green eyes twinkled playfully as he pointedly eyed the hoodie Haru was wearing.

A light blush dusted Haru’s cheeks as he pouted. Well, Makoto wasn’t wrong…

The brunet laughed at his cute boyfriend and gave him another forehead kiss. “If it bothers you that much, I’ll go through them this weekend and donate what I’m getting rid of. Okay?”

Haru nodded in agreement. “But you’re only allowed to keep four–no, three of those plaid shirts.”

Makoto tilted his head. “I thought you liked me in them?”

“I like them a little _too_ much,” Haru admitted dismissively, rolling over so he was right-side up again and coming to sit on his knees.

Makoto’s laugh washed over him like a cool ocean wave. “You’re so cute, Haru-chan.”

“Shut up,” Haru said, pulling Makoto down into a kiss that effectively put an end to the conversation for now.

* * *

  _things haru said when he was scared_

 

The second Makoto stepped into the genkan, he had his arms full of Haru.

The shorter swimmer leapt right at his boyfriend, securing his arms tightly around broad shoulders and hooking his muscular legs around a trim waist. Makoto fell back against the door with Haru’s extra weight on him, but slid his hands under Haru’s jammer-clad thighs to support him.

“Haru?” Makoto inquired quietly, brushing a kiss in front of Haru’s ear, right in the small hollow below his cheek bone.

“You’re late,” Haru responded, though his voice was muffled by his face buried in the side of Makoto’s neck. “You worried me.”

Makoto let out a laugh that sounded guilty at the edges. “My phone died. I forgot to charge it last night,” he said by way of apology, carefully toeing out of his shoes while still being careful not to drop his boyfriend.

Haru didn’t say anything to that, accepting that answer for now. He knew he himself had done that countless times, though he was getting better about it. But when he saw on the news that there had been an accident by the station where Makoto caught the train after work, and when Makoto was late and hadn’t responded to any of his texts or calls, well. Haru got scared.

One kiss, two kisses, three kisses were planted along the side of his head going up to his temple. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” Makoto muttered in amendment to his previous apology, which really wasn’t one to begin with.

With a small whimper, Haru just clung to him tighter.

The sound of Makoto’s quiet laughter soothed him more than expected as the taller man carried his clingy boyfriend to their small kitchen so they could make dinner together.

* * *

  _things haru said that makoto wasn’t meant to hear_

 

“I’m going to propose to Makoto,” Haru told Rin through his webcam.

The redhead snickered and combed his long bangs back from his face. “ _Hey, Rin, good to see you, how have you been?_ ” he said in a mocking tone. “Jumping right to the point as always, huh?”

Haru glared half-heartedly at his friend.

“Oh my god, stop with the face already,” Rin said with another laugh, leaning back in his chair. “I'm just giving you shit.”

“And _I’m_ trying to tell you something important,” Haru said haughtily, crossing his arms.

Rin raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I’ll cut it out. But seriously, Haru, I’m happy for you.”

Over his irritation with Rin now that he was thinking about his proposal again, Haru allowed his expression to melt into one of fondness.

“Do you have the ring yet?” Rin asked.

Haru gave a short nod and dug in the pocket of his oversized hoodie–it was actually Makoto’s, if he wanted to get technical, but he had stolen it from his soon-to-be fiancé some time ago, which Makoto called him out on almost every chance he got. He pulled out a small black velvet box and held it up in view of the camera, slowly opening it to reveal a simple gold band inside.

“Bring it closer,” Rin said, also moving closer to his laptop screen with a raised brow.

Haru held it as close to the lens as he could without the image going blurry.

A hum of approval came from his speakers. “It’s a good pick, Haru. Simple but still classy.” Rin paused and let out a short laugh. “He’ll probably cry when you pop the question.”

A smirk unconsciously made its way onto Haru’s face as he put the ring box back in his pocket. “Not as much as you did when Sousuke asked you,” he teased.

As expected, Rin’s face went as red as his hair and he spluttered. “Shut the hell up, Haru!”

Haru couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up his throat and made its way past his lips.

“Holy hell, you’re in deep. I can’t remember the last time I heard you laugh,” Rin said offhandedly, resuming his previous seating position. This time, he crossed one leg over the other as he reclined back in his chair.

Normally, Haru would just scowl and avert his gaze at an accusation like that, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was, like Rin said, in very deep indeed. So deep he almost couldn’t breathe. But in a good way. The best way. Like floating at the bottom at the pool and staring up at the sky through the water.

He was happy.

“Don’t get used to it,” he finally said, though a smile still rested on his face. “And...don’t say anything to Makoto, alright?”

“Say anything about what?” came Makoto’s voice from behind.

Haru felt his blood run cold.

_Shit._ How much did he hear?

“What’s up, Makoto!” Rin greeted a little too cheerfully from the screen. “It’s been a while!”

The taller man hummed in agreement as he came right up to Haru’s back, leaning down and propping his chin up on his boyfriend’s shoulder. He smiled at their friend. “It really has. How have you been?”

While Makoto and Rin chatted with each other, Haru’s mind raced. He hoped to all hope that Makoto wouldn’t draw him into a hug, lest he feel the ring box burning a hole in Haru’s pocket. He also hoped that Makoto had come in the door _after_ all talk of proposals had stopped. He’d be devastated if anything ruined the surprise.

When they bid Rin goodbye, Haru made a beeline for the bathroom, claiming that he needed a bath. At least that way, he could hide the ring in his duffel and hopefully Makoto would be none the wiser.

* * *

  _things haru said while driving_

 

Makoto was scared of many things, and the car was one of them.

Well, maybe not the car, specifically. Driving, more so, was the culprit.

Even if he wasn’t the one behind the wheel.

“Haru, watch out!”

Calm and collected as ever, Haru eased on the brakes and put on his blinker to change lanes, pulling out from behind the slow car in front of them.

“I have everything under control, Makoto. Don’t worry,” he said, but without any real bite in his voice. He kept his words as gentle as possible to help abate Makoto’s fears. If his boyfriend was going to be like this for their entire trip back to Iwatobi, Haru needed to keep his patience.

“I’m sorry, Haru. I don’t know why driving scares me so much…” Makoto said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with a slightly trembling hand.

Still keeping his eyes on the road, Haru’s hand found Makoto’s hand that was holding onto the center console with a death grip. He slipped his palm underneath Makoto’s and intertwined their fingers, giving a gentle squeeze.

Makoto seemed to deflate almost instantly, the simple touch expelling some of his anxiety.

“Don’t worry,” Haru reiterated. “I’ll keep you safe.”

* * *

  _things haru said that would change things forever (but also not at all)_

 

“You want to marry Makoto?”

Haru’s fingers curled into fists atop his thighs. He stared down at the tatami, biting his lip. He could feel two pairs of Tachibana eyes on him, waiting for him to speak.

He’d been planning this for months. Since he and Makoto were going to spend Christmas and New Year’s back in Iwatobi, Haru thought this would be the perfect time to ask Makoto’s parents for permission to take their son’s hand in marriage. And even though he’d known the Tachibana family practically his whole life, he was still _nervous as all hell_ to talk to them about the matter and hand.

Finally, Haru nodded. He lowered into a bow, placing his hands on the floor and nearly touching his forehead to his hands. It was the grandest display of respect he had ever shown anyone, even his own family.

Then again, the Tachibanas were just as much family to him as those who shared his surname.

“I promise to be a good husband to Makoto. I promise to treat him well and cherish him every moment of every day.” His heart threatened to beat right out of his chest, and he had to take a deep breath to keep it from leaping into his throat and choking him. “I love him very much.”

He felt Makoto’s mother’s hand on the back of his head. She ruffled his hair like she would when he was a child. “We have no doubts about that, Haru-chan. Now sit up. No need to bow to us; we’re your family.”

When Haru pulled himself back up to a sit, finally looking up at his surrogate parents and future in-laws, Makoto’s mother gave him a sweet smile that was so reminiscent of Makoto’s that Haru could feel his own smile breaking forth.

“Of course you can marry our son, Haru-kun,” Makoto’s father said with a small smile as well, adjusting his glasses. “We could never say no to you.”

“Thank you both, so very much,” Haru said with a wavering voice, nodding his head in thanks to the Tachibanas. Makoto’s mother scooted closer to Haru, enveloping him in the most loving hug.

“We love you, Haru-chan,” she told him as she began to cry happy tears, prompting tears to prick at the corners of Haru’s eyes too as he returned the hug in kind. “We know Makoto will make you as happy as you make him.”

* * *

  _things haru said when they were on top of the world_

 

Their lives couldn’t be going any better.

Haru and Makoto were both near the end of their final year of university, which was a hectic time for the both of them. Makoto was busy balancing his last few classes with his student teaching, coaching, and giving private swim lessons to adult swimmers as well as kids. Haru, on the other hand, was pouring everything he had into his training, not only because he was on Japan’s national team, but because the Olympics were near and he was going to debut there for the first time.

All in all, things were falling into place rather nicely.

The only thing that was missing was a marriage certificate.

After getting the Tachibanas’ permission over winter break, Haru had been thinking non-stop about planning his proposal. He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect, like it was in the dramas Makoto sometimes left playing on the TV when he fell asleep on top of his homework. He had thought about popping the question while they were still in Iwatobi, since it would have been the most ideal place for sentimental reasons. But time got away from them and before Haru knew it, they were back in Tokyo and the ring box was still in his duffel bag hidden amongst his swimming gear.

It wasn’t the best place for it, probably, but Makoto never went into his swim bag so he knew it’d be safe there from prying eyes.

He then began thinking over possible places to ask Makoto in Tokyo. He thought about the ramen bar they discovered in their first couple months here, where they had dinner every week for at least a year or two. He thought about the train station between their now-shared apartment and Makoto’s old apartment where they would meet before or after classes. He thought about the recreation center just a couple blocks away, where Makoto taught swimming classes for their first couple years living in this vast metropolis. He thought about the café where they would hang out with Asahi, Kisumi, Ikuya, and Hiyori. Hell, he even thought about the university library where they both spent long hours studying and trying not to fall asleep on each other in the middle of their required class reading.

But none of those places sounded _just right_ for the occasion, so Haru was stumped. And it left him feeling a little more than frustrated.

He had to ask Makoto before graduation, no matter what.

“You have your thinking face on,” Makoto said, interrupting Haru from his reverie.

When Haru’s eyes focused back in on reality, he was met with the bright green gaze of his boyfriend. Makoto’s chin was propped up on Haru’s stomach, his hands lazily stroking up and down his sides.

“Haru-chan, what’s got you thinking so hard your eyebrows are crinkled?” Makoto reached up and poked his index finger between Haru’s brows, where the skin was indeed creased into a furrow.

Haru’s lips protruded into a well-practiced pout as he averted his gaze. If he kept staring, Makoto’s eyes alone would make him crack. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” Makoto argued lightly, not pushing Haru into saying something but also hinting that he didn’t want to let Haru off the hook without at least some kind of explanation.

A huff blew past Haru’s lips. He avoided looking at his boyfriend, instead opting to stare straight up at the ceiling. “I just...everything is going so well right now.” He paused, trying to find the right words. Thankfully, Makoto was always patient with him and gave him the time he needed to piece sentences together. “But, there’s something I still need to do and I don’t know how to go about it.”

Haru felt the hum of Makoto’s vocal cords against his abs. “What is it? Maybe I can help,” Makoto offered, his lips quirking into a smile when Haru finally looked at him.

Oh, damn it all to hell.

Haru started rolling onto his stomach, prompting Makoto to sit up and let Haru move. The dark-haired man leaned halfway off the bed and reached for his duffel bag, pulling it closer and rummaging through it for a moment.

“Haru?” Makoto queried, bemused.

Finally grasping the small velvet box in his hands, Haru pulled himself back up on the bed and sat cross-legged with the blankets pooling in his lap. He held it out to Makoto and opened it, revealing the golden band inside.

* * *

  _things haru said when makoto was crying_

 

“H-Haru…” Makoto choked out, his hand flying to his mouth. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“I hadn’t planned on asking like this,” Haru said, swallowing hard but trying to keep his gaze steady on Makoto, whose bright green eyes were blown wide in disbelief. “In fact, I _had_ planned on asking you right after I asked your parents’ permission, but…I didn't have the chance to.”

“You…” Makoto stopped, swallowed, and tried again. “You asked my parents?”

Haru nodded mutely.

“When?” came Makoto’s next question, voice wavering.

“Winter break,” Haru answered, and he didn't think Makoto’s eyes could go any wider but, somehow, they did.

“Haru…"

Hearing Makoto breathe his name so reverently made Haru shiver. Timidly, he held up the ring box a little closer to Makoto. “So, Makoto, how about it? Marry me?”

“Of course!” Makoto answered immediately, and though his voice was shaking, there was such a certainty to it that made Haru’s heart flutter.

Removing the gold band from its velvet bed, Haru took Makoto’s hand and slid the ring onto his ring finger. It glinted in the light like the sparse gold specks in Makoto’s irises.

Makoto tackled Haru to the mattress in a flurry of limbs, showering him with kisses and dripping his joyous tears onto his new fiancé’s pale face. His large hands cupped Haru’s cheeks as he drew him in for another deep kiss that had Haru licking into Makoto’s mouth as if he was drowning and Makoto was the only source of oxygen for miles undersea.

The ring was cool on his heated skin, grounding him in the reality that he was now officially engaged to his best friend.

* * *

 

  _things haru said after it was over_

 

Haru couldn't hear anything over the rapid beating of his pulse in his ears. His chest heaved as he gulped in as much air as he could, and he shook the water from his hair. The bright lights were blinding him, and his squinting blue eyes looked up to the scoreboard screen where he saw his name illuminated in romanized letters.

1\. __Haruka Nanase__

Expelling another deep breath from his burning lungs, Haru felt like sinking into the water again. His heart beat even faster and the noise of cheers from the stands slowly filtered into his senses, the lights and the screams and the splashes from either side of him almost overwhelming him.

First place.

He was a _gold medalist_.

Wishing desperately that Makoto were there to pull him out of the pool and share this incredible and life-changing moment with him, Haru pulled himself from the water and onto the cold, wet tile.

Rin came up to him from two lanes over, flinging his arm around Haru’s shoulder and using his free hand to give Haru a fierce noogie that had the dark-haired swimmer trying to fight off his friend.

“Beat me by just a hair!!” Rin yelled at his close friend, his sharp teeth glinting in the widest smile Haru had ever seen on him. Overcome with joy at his first-place win and affection for his lifelong friend and rival, Haru couldn’t help but let out a small laugh of his own.

After changing from his jammers to his Olympic uniform, going through the awards ceremony, and enduring endless interviews with the press alongside Coach Azuma, Haru was finally allowed to leave. He retrieved the rest of his things and made to exit the locker room, tired from all the social interaction he’d done since his hundred-meter freestyle but still floating in the clouds.

It still was sinking in that he was an Olympic gold medalist now.

Shouldering his bag, Haru stepped out of the locker rooms and stopped in his tracks.

Makoto stood outside the locker rooms, leaning on the wall opposite the doorway with his orange phone in his hand. His thumb paused on the screen and he looked up at Haru, and the most brilliant smile lit up his entire face.

Haru couldn't help his own smile as he stepped over to his husband, holding up his gold medal that rested around his neck.

“You were amazing, Haru-chan,” Makoto told him in the most proud voice and pulled him into a hug. Haru went more than willingly, going almost boneless in his husband's arms.

“Wish you were there to pull me out of the pool,” the swimmer said into Makoto’s chest, words muffled by his shirt.

Haru felt Makoto place a long, loving kiss to the crown of his head.

“Give me your hand now,” the brunet said, stepping back for a moment and pulling something out of his pocket.

Offering his left hand, Haru smiled as Makoto slid a gold band that matched the one he’d proposed to Makoto with onto his ring finger. He always left his wedding ring with Makoto when he had to swim so that nothing would happen to it.

Makoto brought Haru’s hand up to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on his knuckles that were dry from chlorine exposure. “You’re a gold medalist now,” he said to his husband with such reverence that Haru’s knees grew weak. “I’m _so proud_ of you.”

Blinking away a few tears that threatened to fall, Haru reached up and held Makoto’s face in his hands. His thumbs stroked the soft skin along Makoto’s cheekbones. There were no words he could say that would properly convey the spectrum of emotions crashing through him like waves on the shore, so he leaned up and kissed his husband thoroughly, his wedding ring glinting in the light.

Haru had already struck gold a long, long time ago. Before he even realized it. This victory, this medal...although it instilled in him a great sense of pride and accomplishment, nothing could ever compare to the love he felt for Makoto. That he had always felt for Makoto, even when he hadn’t been able to put a name to it.

“I love you, Makoto,” he said against his husband’s mouth, barely more than a whisper.

Makoto smiled against Haru’s lips, the breath of a laugh casting warmth between their faces. “I love you, Haru.”

Hand in hand, Haru and Makoto headed out to the Olympic Village to celebrate Haru’s first win of many that were bound to come.


End file.
